Dean Smith

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

1 hour ago, jim said:

That old chestnut. The same players that thrashed Middlesbrough and Derby? 

Sorry, not buying these players aren’t good enough for Dean Smith’s wonder football. This is the Championship not top 4 of the Premier league. 

You mean with the same manager?

Hmmm....

So which is it?

Are the players totally clueless, is the manager totally clueless or is it a culmination of mitigating factors which might point to the answer being nearer to something reasonable?

Edited January 26, 2019 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Keyblade]

I know people expect us to blow away Ipswich at home, but we were by far the better side. A little nervy at the back with Chester seemingly having his body break down in real time, but other than that, it was comfortable. Only a wonder goal made it seem close. As long as we have players like Whelan and Bjarnason in midfield and our current defense, it's always going to be a bit nervy. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

1 minute ago, Keyblade said:

I know people expect us to blow away Ipswich at home, but we were by far the better side. A little nervy at the back with Chester seemingly having his body break down in real time, but other than that, it was comfortable. Only a wonder goal made it seem close. As long as we have players like Whelan and Bjarnason in midfield and our current defense, it's always going to be a bit nervy. 

23 attempts with 13 on target. We should have won that comfortable. I’m all for moaning when we drop points but we won. 

Dont get it. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

23 minutes ago, Lerner's Driver said:

A fair whiff of delusion and half truths in there. Normally a sign something's up. 

Really? We were in complete control until they scored.  Watch the highlights. We’ve missed some massive chances and they’ve scored a wonder goal. We got a bit of luck when they hit the post though.

[KenjiOgiwara]

12 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

In his first 6 weeks here there was far more intensity, a higher press and players making space for each other. Since then there's been a massive drop off, losing Grealish doesn't really account for it, fitness levels will account for a good portion of it but the rest to me seems to be down to a combination of tactical decisions (we're set up somewhat different) and an inability for him to get through to them. 

He definitely needs time, a pre-season etc, I still think he's the right man for the job, but it's undeniable that he's raising one or two questions about his capabilities and an unconvincing win against the bottom side who happens to have several injuries isn't really going to help silence those questions.

Oh I agree, but I think you will find this at most clubs with a new manager bounce. Players are simply giving a shit because they know it's a case of losing their first team rights. Unfortunately this tends to drop off when they realize the squad depth is too thin and have too little quality for any major changes to happen.

Obviously Grealish has been a major loss. Chester's injury is also definately a problem. But ultimately we should be doing better, though it's not going to happen with players like Elmo, Taylor and our current midfield. They simply are dog shit footballers. 

[DaveAV1]

14 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

In his first 6 weeks here there was far more intensity, a higher press and players making space for each other. Since then there's been a massive drop off, losing Grealish doesn't really account for it, fitness levels will account for a good portion of it but the rest to me seems to be down to a combination of tactical decisions (we're set up somewhat different) and an inability for him to get through to them. 

He definitely needs time, a pre-season etc, I still think he's the right man for the job, but it's undeniable that he's raising one or two questions about his capabilities and an unconvincing win against the bottom side who happens to have several injuries isn't really going to help silence those questions.

As you say, in the first few weeks he knew how he wanted us to play and the players produced it. There’s no way he and the players have forgotten it or decided to do something totally different.

The glaring difference is that Grealish and Tuanzebe have been missing. As you point out, the difference seems bigger than it should do. I think to some extent those players papered over the cracks and without them, the weaknesses of the squad has been exposed.  There isn’t one simple answer. I believe a combination of factors such as an ageing squad, players knowing they’re on their way out, playing with injuries, simply not being good enough etc, all add up to the big drop off in performances. Let’s face it this was a squad that even under Bruce were very Jeckle and Hyde and we never knew which one was going to show up even from half to half, let alone game to game. 

[AvfcRigo82]

1 hour ago, Brumstopdogs said:

 

 

Why are we not converting our chances though.

He also needs to think about the future of Elmohamady as the game changed the minute he came on and imo obviously trying to help us drop points out of obvious stupidity.

I'd like him and Taylor shipped out this week.

We need to see another 3/4 arrive this week.

[New_Hope]

Again, he gives a fair assessment of the game.  Sly smile suggests that we have a few irons in the fire and that could well include losing some cockwombles.

[Guest av1]

Adomah was gash, McGinn and Tammy were making good runs into the middle crying out for early delivery and Hutton was his normal wondering self. I'm not a fan of Elmo but I thought it was a sensible move. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

9 minutes ago, av1 said:

Adomah was gash, McGinn and Tammy were making good runs into the middle crying out for early delivery and Hutton was his normal wondering self. I'm not a fan of Elmo but I thought it was a sensible move. 

There was one point where it seemed like Adomah literally just said "f*ck it" and allowed the ball to run out.

Sums it up for me.

[TRO]

12 hours ago, TrentVilla said:

Yes but difference is Bruce signed most of them.

Yes, he did........but was they ALL, HIS first choice or was he restricted in choice, by funds available, in which case, there is always more than one person responsible.

Like most of our managers, some were ok, some were not.

I will watch with interest your future comments on this subject with Regards to Dean

[OutByEaster?]

Nyland, Tuanzebe, Lansbury, Grealish, Green and Bjarnason all out injured now - with Bolasie having left this week, Jedinak just back and Chester playing through injury. 

We're not exactly lucky are we?

We're in the peculiar position of having players that we don't want or aren't good enough - like Elmohamady - but http we can't get rid of because we need to be able to fill the bench. 

Have a good week Dean!

 

[AvfcRigo82]

7 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Nyland, Tuanzebe, Lansbury, Grealish, Green and Bjarnason all out injured now - with Bolasie having left this week, Jedinak just back and Chester playing through injury. 

We're not exactly lucky are we?

We're in the peculiar position of having players that we don't want or aren't good enough - like Elmohamady - but http we can't get rid of because we need to be able to fill the bench. 

Have a good week Dean!

 

Wow, what a position to find himself/ourself in!?

Very precarious position.

[TrentVilla]

6 minutes ago, TRO said:

Yes, he did........but was they ALL, HIS first choice or was he restricted in choice, by funds available, in which case, there is always more than one person responsible.

Like most of our managers, some were ok, some were not.

I will watch with interest your future comments on this subject with Regards to Dean

Few managers get all their first choice signings but they were certainly all his choices. Was he restricted by funds? To an extent yes but again which manager isn't but lets not pretend he didn't have money to spend to an extent far beyond the reaches of just about every other club in the league. Who else spent £12m on a striker? Who else could afford £80k a week for Terry or £40k a week for Lansbury or Snodgrass. Or the wages for Tammy and Bolasie this season. He spent a fortune.

He wasted a huge amount of money, particularly on loans and short term fixes. He was responsible.

I will treat Smith no differently to any other manager, I will judge him on his results, signings and football. I've little doubt given a similar level of finance and 4 transfer windows he will do a far better job.

 

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Keyblade said:

I know people expect us to blow away Ipswich at home, but we were by far the better side. A little nervy at the back with Chester seemingly having his body break down in real time, but other than that, it was comfortable. Only a wonder goal made it seem close. As long as we have players like Whelan and Bjarnason in midfield and our current defense, it's always going to be a bit nervy. 

Whelan today, was one of our better players for an hour....

We are always suseptible to a "wonder goal" if we fail to get close to the scorer.....It was a good shot, but we should be closing these things down....they hit the post too, soon after.....yet again the opposition find it so easy to get back in to the game, after being out of it for so long.

[rodders0223]

7 minutes ago, TRO said:

Whelan today, was one of our better players for an hour....

We are always suseptible to a "wonder goal" if we fail to get close to the scorer.....It was a good shot, but we should be closing these things down....they hit the post too, soon after.....yet again the opposition find it so easy to get back in to the game, after being out of it for so long.

It was another vintage case of Connor standing 8 yards off his man, haunched over giving the pretence he is actually going to engage or tackle but never actually moving forward.

[TRO]

2 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

I know this is rocket science, but not all players suit different kinds of football. While we would like to see a free flowing game with lots of intensity and movement off ball, it's rather hard to achieve when you have a bunch of technically shit players who are about as mobile as a boulder

So how can some say, its one of the best squads in the division.?

does this need further explaining.?.....perhaps a sweeping statement either way, is inadequate.?

[GENTLEMAN]

2 minutes ago, TRO said:

So how can some say, its one of the best squads in the division.?

does this need further explaining.?.....perhaps a sweeping statement either way, is inadequate.?

As ever it is somewhere in-between the two poles. The squad is completely imbalanced mind, with too many similar players, which becomes very apparent with the injuries mounting.

[KenjiOgiwara]

4 minutes ago, TRO said:

So how can some say, its one of the best squads in the division.?

does this need further explaining.?.....perhaps a sweeping statement either way, is inadequate.?

I think people tend to confuse expensive with quality. It's a fact that we have one of the most expensive squads in the division. But quality wise it isn't. And unfortunately the players we got aren't that compatible to each other or our manager's preferred tactic. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

I think it's fair to say that RB, LB, CB, CM, RW, LW are all positions where you can find better quality in other teams. While our wingers aren't bad, just average and Grealish and McAwesome are solid, it's still 4-6 players each match that clearly are sub par. And these players won't be hard to replace or find better quality in other teams.